Medieval & Middle Ages 4/12

Alchemy & Prague: Countess Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20244 min read

Alchemy & Prague: Countess Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg

Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg (1559 - 1618) is described as a striking personality. Intelligent, charismatic and formidable of will,...

25 views

Indigo: Extract Dye from Indigofera Tinctoria

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20244 min read

Indigo: Extract Dye from Indigofera Tinctoria

Indigo, deep blue dye from the Indigofera tinctoria plant, often associated with blue denim, is one of humanity's oldest dyes. The...

10 views

Alchemy: Ancient Mordant Recipes for Fabric & Stones

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20243 min read

Alchemy: Ancient Mordant Recipes for Fabric & Stones

Alchemy of the ancients includes skills such as preparation of dyes, pigments and mordants for fabric and stone. Purple dyes are...

16 views

Antimony (Stibnite, Kohl) Ancient Metal of Science & Beauty

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20245 min read

Antimony (Stibnite, Kohl) Ancient Metal of Science & Beauty

Antimony (Sb) from the ore stibnite, is one of the elements known by the ancients, a primary source of black powder kajal or kohl. With...

32 views

10 Wise Plants & Herbs for the Elixir of Life

Sylvia Rose

Sep 21, 20245 min read

10 Wise Plants & Herbs for the Elixir of Life

The Elixir of Life manifests as potion, tea, powder, water, oil or soluble salts. This mystical creation is said to bestow immortality or...

30 views

Nicolas Flamel: Creation of an Alchemy Legend

Sylvia Rose

Sep 21, 20246 min read

Nicolas Flamel: Creation of an Alchemy Legend

Nicolas Flamel (1330 - 1418) is a prosperous scribe shop owner in Paris, France. He marries well and lives an illustrious life. At his...

13 views

Natural Colors: How to Extract Plant Pigments

Sylvia Rose

Sep 20, 20244 min read

Natural Colors: How to Extract Plant Pigments

Artists and craftspeople have used plant pigments as a source of color for millennia. Works of art and textile dyes using vegetable...

18 views

Lunar Caustic AgNO3: Lapis Infernalis of Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20243 min read

Lunar Caustic AgNO3: Lapis Infernalis of Alchemy

Lunar caustic ( lapis infernalis ), Höllenstein (hellstone) or silver nitrate ( argentinium nitrium ) is esteemed by alchemists of the...

17 views

Steam Distillation in Ancient & Medieval Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20244 min read

Steam Distillation in Ancient & Medieval Alchemy

Steam distillation develops from simple and fractional distillation techniques, and is first known to be documented among the Islamic...

6 views

Fractional Distillation: Ancient & Medieval Alchemy Processes

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20242 min read

Fractional Distillation: Ancient & Medieval Alchemy Processes

Fractional distillation is a technique to separate components of a mixture based on their various boiling points. In this process, a...

4 views

Science of Alchemy: Simple Distillation Process

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20246 min read

Science of Alchemy: Simple Distillation Process

Simple distillation is a technique of ancient and medieval alchemists. It can be a process on its own or part of a larger work, involving...

49 views

Distillation in Alchemy: Ancient Process & Equipment

Sylvia Rose

Sep 18, 20245 min read

Distillation in Alchemy: Ancient Process & Equipment

Distillation transforms substances through heating, cooling, and separating liquids from solids. It's for brewing spirits, and is an...

13 views

5 Waters of Ancient Alchemy: Aqua Caustic

Sylvia Rose

Sep 18, 20245 min read

5 Waters of Ancient Alchemy: Aqua Caustic

The Waters of Alchemy are ravenous acids, miraculous solvents and corrosive fluids vital to alchemical process. Not for children ....

24 views

10 Alchemical Metals - Ancient Metals of Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 17, 20246 min read

10 Alchemical Metals - Ancient Metals of Alchemy

Ten metals are used in alchemy since its ancient emergence. They are antimony, bismuth, copper, gold, iron, lead, quicksilver (mercury),...

20 views

Alchemical Salt: Essential Salts of Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 17, 20245 min read

Alchemical Salt: Essential Salts of Alchemy

Salts are ubiquitous in nature and play critical roles in sciences from biology to medicine. In alchemy, salts are standard ingredients....

44 views

Paracelsus: Renegade Renaissance Physician

Sylvia Rose

Sep 16, 20244 min read

Paracelsus: Renegade Renaissance Physician

Renegade physician Paracelsus is one of the most dramatic figures of the European Renaissance. Doctor, alchemist, astrologer,...

50 views

The Alembic: Essential Alchemy Equipment

Sylvia Rose

Sep 16, 20243 min read

The Alembic: Essential Alchemy Equipment

The alembic is an essential alchemical tool. It functions like a retort, which in lead, iron or copper form has been used through...

36 views

Literature: Great Literary Patrons in History

Sylvia Rose

Sep 16, 20244 min read

Literature: Great Literary Patrons in History

Benefactors of literature cultivate intellectual centers of creativity and innovation. Here are five powerful historical patrons whose...

18 views

Sylvia Rose

Sep 15, 20245 min read

Finding the Philosophers' Egg

Atomic theory first appears in the 5th century BCE. Later examination notes the atom is much like an egg. Atoms have an extremely small,...

26 views

Arnaldus de Villanova: Medieval Alchemist

Sylvia Rose

Sep 15, 20244 min read

Arnaldus de Villanova: Medieval Alchemist

Arnaldus de Villanova (1240 - 1311) is a prominent figure of medieval alchemy, literature and medicine. He comes from Spain, studies at...

14 views